22 April 2004
Shmel-1 and BRDM-2
Russian Shmel-1 UAV is prepared for launch to observe enemy positions and a BRDM-2 recon team is being briefed for their upcoming scouting missions towards same direction. Despite modern UAVs there is no substitute for on-ground human reconnaissance. On the foreground AT-3 ‘Sagger’ is being inspected by weapons NCO. The Shmel-1 (Yak-061) UAV is just one of several types of UAVs in service in Russian Army today and it has been exported at least to Syria in 1992. Shmel-1 catapult is typically mounted on a BMD platform.